WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. – This spring, Raley’s Family of Fine Stores and Sprite partnered to provide $20,000 in grants to refurbish well-worn neighborhood basketball courts through the Sprite Sparks Parks Project. More than 2,600 online votes were cast by Northern California and Nevada residents to show support for their neighborhood park and three winning parks have been identified.

With the help of the National Recreation Parks Association, a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to advancing park recreation and conservation efforts that enhance quality of life for all people, Sprite and Raley’s selected 12 basketball courts in need of repair to be eligible to receive a grant.

“Our goal is to improve communities in inspired ways, and by partnering with Raley’s and local residents they led us to basketball courts where we can make the biggest impact,” said Bob Brown, Executive Vice President of Sacramento Coca-Cola Bottling Company. “By generating support for these critically important play spaces among Sacramento residents, we’re working as a team to ensure our local youth have safe, fun places where they can get together in a positive, active way.”

The top three parks that will receive grants are as follows:

1st Place: Caldwell Park (Redding, CA) — $10,000 GrantThe Caldwell Park basketball court is very popular and the only court in the community park. The basketball court needs to be repainted, the backboard needs refurbishment and lighting needs to be replaced. Adding shaded seating is also desired for hot summer days.

“Financial resources are very lean,” explained Kimberly Niemer, Directory of Community Services for the City of Redding. “Our parks maintenance staff has been reduced by 25%, and materials and supplies money is very lean as well.”

With the help of the local media and the Redding community, word quickly spread and residents supported Caldwell Park by casting their votes. Park representatives plan to have the basketball court refurbished by this fall.

2nd Place: Fair Oaks Park (Fair Oaks, CA) — $5,000 GrantThe Fair Oaks Park basketball court is located in one of the largest and most utilized parks within the area, and is a popular place for youths and adults to gather for games.

“Currently, the basketball court is located on an asphalt surface that is cracked and weathered,” explained Maureen Zamarripa, Fair Oaks Recreation & Park District Administrator. “We plan to install a playable surface to make the court more inviting, safe and enjoyable for our users. Once the surface is installed, benches and additional landscaping are planned to beautify the area with the assistance of local community partner groups.”

The Fair Oaks community responded to the challenge of gaining votes with the support of local businesses, schools and community groups. With the help of social media, posters, flyers and word of mouth, the community rallied behind this park and encouraged voting. Park representatives hope to have the new basketball surface installed this fall.

3rd Place: McKinley Park (Sacramento, CA) — $5,000 GrantMcKinley Park’s basketball court receives the most use in the City of Sacramento park system. Currently, the court is in poor condition due to a lack of staff and budget, which results in less frequent maintenance and difficulty responding to vandalism.

“This grant will provide for new standards, goals and backboards, and court striping,” said Jim Combs, Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Sacramento. “With additional city funding, we will also provide color seal coating for the court and a universally accessible bleacher.”

The improvements to this park will provide a safer, more attractive basketball court, maintaining McKinley Park as a destination court. Park representatives hope to have the upgrades completed by this fall.

“It’s inspiring to see how the community came together and rallied around their neighborhood park,” said Jennie Teel-Wolter, Raley’s Community Relations Manager. “We’re proud to partner with Coca-Cola’s Sprite brand on this exciting effort and we look forward to seeing these basketball courts revitalized to improve the health and vitality of these local parks.”

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Editor’s note: Upon completion of the upgrades to these basketball courts this fall, Raley’s and Sprite plan to host a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the enhancements at each of the three parks.

Editor’s note:The other parks that were eligible to receive a grant were: Longfellow Park in Alameda; Metcalf Park in San Jose; Orchard Park in Modesto; Allan Witt Park in Fairfield; Town Square Park in Elk Grove; Royer Park in Roseville; Lembi Community Park in Folsom and two parks in Nevada — Miguel Rivera Park in Reno and Ardmore Park in Sparks.

About Raley’s Family of Fine StoresRaley's Family of Fine Stores is a privately-owned supermarket chain with headquarters in West Sacramento, CA. The company is comprised of four chains — Raley's, Bel Air, Nob Hill Foods and Food Source. With a reputation for giving back to Northern California and Nevada communities for more than 75 years, Raley’s has long been known for supporting three key areas: improving the lives of children, creating healthy communities and celebrating the arts.

About The Coca-Cola CompanyThe Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is the world’s largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still brands. The Company’s portfolio includes 15 billion dollar brands, including Coca-Cola, recognized as the world’s most valuable brand, as well as Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Coca-Cola Zero, vitamin water, Powerade, Minute Maid, Simply and Georgia. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our Company is focused on initiatives that protect the environment, conserve resources and enhance the economic development of the communities where we operate. For more information about our Company, please visit our website at www.thecoca-colacompany.com.

About National Recreation and Park AssociationThe National Recreation and Park Association is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to advancing park, recreation and conservation efforts that enhance quality of life for all people. Through its network of 20,000 recreation and park professionals and citizens, NRPA encourages the promotion of healthy lifestyles, recreation initiatives, and conservation of natural and cultural resources. For more information, visit www.NRPA.org.